Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

Click here for 2010 Year List

Report sightings

The summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood with two Common Sandpiper on the estuary wall.

A large gathering of gulls offshore at low tide included 1330 Herring, 73 Black-headed, 12 Great Black-backed and at least nine Mediterranean Gull, five first summer, three second summer and an adult. Another 350 Herring Gull were in the estuary. Also offshore 30 Sandwich Tern and two Great-crested Grebe with two Mute Swan flying east all presumably failed breeders. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood, waders included five Dunlin and a Sanderling and a fledgling Reed Bunting was at the First Pond.

Offshore there were five Mediterranean Gull (three first summer and two second summer), 23 Sandwich and two Common Tern. Elsewhere a Great-spotted Woodpecker was present and there seems to have been good breeding season so far young Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Swallow around site.

Offshore there were 16 Mediterranean Gull (13 first summer and three second summer) with a dark phase Arctic Skua, 100+ Gannet, 27 Sandwich and a Common Tern. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood and waders included six Dunlin, four Sanderling, two Grey Plover and a Knot.

In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood, the two Greylag Geese were in Shutterton Creek and waders included 131 Curlew and single Dunlin, Knot and Turnstone.

The first juvenile Shelduck of the year was on Warren Point with two Greylag Geese also there. Also in the estuary 121 Curlew, 13 Sanderling, four Whimbrel, four Dunlin and two Grey Plover. Elsewhere a Hobby flew south over the dune ridge early morning, a Cuckoo was in the Entrance Bushes and offshore there were at least five Mediterranean Gull (four first and one new second summer) with 17 Manx Shearwater and three Grey Heron flying south.

Two Little Tern were offshore mid afternoon with 23+ Sandwich Tern and six Mediterranean Gull (four first and two second summer). Elsewhere two Peregrine were on a kill on the beach and 50 Swift flew east in two hours during the morning.

A Roseate Tern was offshore during the afternoon with 24+ Sandwich and a single Common Tern. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary and wader numbers had dropped with 58 Sanderling, two Dunlin and a Grey Plover.

At least nine Mediterranean Gull were on site with at least five first and two second summer offshore and two first summer in the estuary, also offshore 38 Sandwich and a Common Tern. Elsewhere two Greylag Geese were on Bull Hill early morning and the colour ringed Sanderling was still present with 179 others - the highest site count since July 2005.

Three first summer Mediterranean Gull were offshore with a Great Northern Diver and 13 Manx Shearwater. Elsewhere a Gadwall and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary.

The first Balearic Shearwater of the year flew south early morning with 12 Sandwich Tern, 10 Manx Shearwater, four Common Scoter and three first summer Mediterranean Gull also offshore. Elsewhere a Red-breasted Merganser was in the estuary, 20+ Swift and Swallow, four House Martin, three Buzzard, two Jackdaw and a Rook were overhead and wader counts included 79 Sanderling, 24 Dunlin and a Whimbrel.

The life history of this bird has already been received from Jeroen Reneerkens. The bird was ringed as a five day old chick at Zackenberg, NE Greenland on 04/07/2009. It was then seen on its first southerly migration at Cresswell, Druridge Bay, Northumberland on 28/08/2009, before turning up on the Warren on 06/06/2010.

Wader counts today included 265 Oystercatcher, 77 Sanderling, 65 Curlew, 42 Dunlin, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Ringed Plover and five Whimbrel. Elsewhere two Greylag Geese in the estuary were the first for the year, two Jackdaw were overhead and 18 Common Scoter and seven Sandwich Tern were offshore.

An Arctic Skua offshore late evening was the highlight of a quiet day, elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary, the Cuckoo remains on Warren Point and waders included 20+ Dunlin, four Grey Plover and four Whimbrel.

The Great Northern and Red-throated Diver were still offshore with 46 Manx Shearwater, 42 Common Scoter, 40+ Gannet and six Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary, two Stock Dove were in the Railway Saltmarsh and waders included c60 Sanderling, c30 Dunlin, five Bar-tailed Godwit and three Whimbrel.

A colour ringed Sanderling that has been present since 30/5 was ringed at Iwik, Banc D'Arguin, Mauritania, West Africa on 23/11/08. It was present there again in Dec 2009. Thanks to Jeroen Reneerkens for this information. More details on the project can be found here.

June 2010